The present application relates to communication networks, and more specifically, to Software Defined Networking (SDN).
Typically, network routing of a communication packet is based on a router-to-router protocol (for example, Border Gateway Protocol (BGP), Open Shortest Path First (OSPF)). The router-to-router protocols, based on predefined link weighting, create a preferred routing path through a network for packets, based on the packets destination address and a physical location that the packet entered the network. In this structure, the link identities, the route identities, and the router identities are static and the routing paths over these specific links are typically not changed, except in response to a link or router failure condition. SDN facilitates dynamic creation of a route between two or more network endpoints. The SDN may selectively apply the route to a communication packet moving between the endpoints. The dynamic route may be considered an overlay network that is utilized by specific communication packets.